Youth raises $10k for victims

SOMERSET — Most adults probably would not be able to raise more than $10,000 in less than two months to help a worthy cause.

George Austin

SOMERSET — Most adults probably would not be able to raise more than $10,000 in less than two months to help a worthy cause.

But 11-year-old Lindsey Arruda was at the Somerset Post Office on Saturday morning where she sent a check for $10,040.33 to the One Fund Boston to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. The Somerset youth raised all that money through selling silicone wrist bands in the official colors of the marathon with the words "Boston Strong" on them. When she first started the fundraiser after the terrorist attack, she did not think she would sell as many as she did, which was about 2,600 wrist bands.

"They felt bad and wanted to help out and show their support," Lindsey said of why so many people bought the wrist bands.

Lindsey spent 53 hours on packaging and mailing the wrist bands. Her brother Casey, mother Eudoxia, father Keith and grandparents Ken and Madeline Arruda helped her with the work.

"I want to thank the people who bought them and my family for wanting to help me out," Lindsey said.

Lindsey mailed the wrist bands at the Dighton Post Office where the staff helped her to keep the shipping costs as low as possible.

"They did all the shipping by hand," Lindsey said.

The One Fund Boston was established through the generosity of businesses, foundations and individual donors. It was created at the request of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. The Victim Relief Fund of The One Fund Boston will be used to assist those families of the victims who were killed and the victims who were most seriously affected as a result of the tragic events during the Boston Marathon on April 15 and related events on April 18 and April 19. With her check, Lindsey enclosed a letter to Kenneth Feinberg, the administrator of the One Fund.

"I learned that there are a lot of good people in this world and at a time of crisis, people will come together to help one another," Lindsey wrote in her letter to Mr. Feinberg as she told him about the fundraiser.

Lindsey said Auclair's Market on County Street was a big help because owners Denis and Dottie Auclair allowed her to sell wrist bands at the store. Excellent Pizza put a flyer up about the wrist bands being for sale.

The wrist bands were paid for by Center for Family Vision where Eudoxia works. The wrist bands were also sold at the office.

Lindsey is planning to sell the wrist bands for another two weeks at the Family Vision Center, located at 920 Plymouth Ave. in Fall River. People can call there at (508)673-5831 to see if the wrist bands are still available. They can also email a message to kearruda@comcast.net if they want to buy a wrist band.

Lindsey sold the wrist bands to people all around the country. Eudoxia said victims of the marathon bombings were wearing the wrist bands at the Boston Medical Center which purchased 300 of them for victims and heroes of that day. She said her neighbor, Mary Fingliss, who is a nurse at the medical center, got a wrist band there.

"Mary said there were people wearing them all over Boston," Eudoxia said.

Eudoxia said Jeff Bauman, who lost his legs in the bombings and helped the FBI to identify the suspects who were caught, was wearing one of the wrist bands. She said the last bombing victim to get out of the hospital, who has a cousin who lives in Somerset, was wearing one of the wrist bands. The cousin came to Auclair's Market and Lindsey gave him two free wrist bands. Red Sox television announcer Jerry Remy also bought a wrist band.

"She saw Doug Flutie wearing one," Eudoxia said of her daughter. "That was cool. We were told Kenny Chesney was wearing one."

Lindsey sent a Boston Strong wrist band to New England Patriots football team owner Robert Kraft who sent a letter back to her saying, "I will be sure to wear mine proudly!"

"By reaching out to others in need, you are setting a great example for other girls and boys who will hopefully follow your lead," Mr. Kraft wrote in the letter dated May 28. "Your heartfelt contribution, combined with others who have donated to the One Fund, including the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, will hopefully bring some healing to those who have suffered this unprecedented tragedy."

Lindsey did the fundraiser as the community service requirement for earning her Girl Scout Bronze Award. She is a member of Troop 1092.

An Army eye doctor that Lindsey's father knows and is living in South Korea donated $100 to Lindsey's fundraiser. The Arrudas have friends who are selling the wrist bands in Louisiana.

"One of my other friends bought a bunch and distributed them at the Wounded Warrior Veterans Games," Eudoxia said.

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